The Things I Do For You
by Midnight Raptor
Summary: A late night administrative emergency calls Cuddy away to the hospital, leaving House to deal with a certain two month old baby. Set after “Big Baby”. Huddy Two-shot with House/Rachel interaction. Updated with Chapter 2!
1. Chapter 1

Pairing: Huddy with House/Rachel interaction

A/N: YAY! I finally wrote another House fic! Gosh, it's been what? A year? School's been pretty crazy since it started back up in August so I've been dying to write something, anything. Just got around to it during this break. So, this is my...eighth I think...House fic and my second Huddy fic. I've had the idea of this story since the promo pics for "Big Baby" were released about a year ago and I finally got a chance to get it down. I wrote this in two days so forgive any mistakes you might find. I did take the time to edit it though. So this story takes place the night after House solves the case in "Big Baby." Anyways, I'll let you readers get on with it. Hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: All I own is this scene...unforunately.

The Things I Do For You

Cure patient? _Check_

Destroy Cameron? _Check_

Annoy Cuddy? _Not check_

He smirks softly to himself as he arrives on the last item on his mental to-do list. _Well, we'll just have to do something about that, won't we? _Raising his cane, he begins rapping on the door before him in a steady beat. A shuffling from inside alerts him to the presence of the house's inhabitants and a short while later the door opens revealing a slightly disheveled Cuddy in nothing but a tank top and pajama bottoms.

His smirk grows wider. "'Morning, Cuddles!" he exclaims, lowering his cane in order for it to once again support his weight.

"It's the middle of the night." snaps his boss as she crosses her arms across her chest in an effort to shield herself from the cold, night air and House's wandering eyes.

He makes a show of acting surprised. "Goodness, is it? And here I thought it was just the winter solstice."

She glares at him for a moment before grudgingly stepping aside, knowing that he wasn't going to just disappear because she wanted him to. Helping himself to the warmth of Cuddy's house, he limps inside, somewhat disappointed at the lack of resisting banter.

"I was just about to put Rachel to bed so if you could try to be a little less obnoxious than usual, I'd really appreciate it." she says after closing the door behind him and heading down a hallway.

With nothing better to do, he follows. "Sure. Unnaturally loud baby needs its beauty sleep after screeching about five decibels below the sonic boom for a whole day so it can get up tomorrow and start the cycle all over again. I get it."

"She's more tolerable than you, that's for sure." Cuddy says from inside the nursery.

He stops just outside the door and contemplates entering the kid's lair before damning the choices to hell and stepping inside. He stands awkwardly in the middle of the room as Cuddy performed all the preordained motherly rituals that constituted putting a child to bed. Unconsciously, his hands tap his cane on the ground a few times as he looks around the small yellow nursery.

"I gotta hand it to the kid." he says casually after a while. "If it wasn't for the little worm's screams, my patient probably would've—" He draws a finger across his neck while making a harsh scoffing noise in the back of his throat.

Cuddy throws him a look over her shoulder. "Finally found your muse, House? She's flattered."

"She shouldn't be. They're all jailbait until they're 18 anyway." he quips.

Cuddy lets out a laugh in spite of his comment, knowing it was his way of thanking her in helping him solve his case.

Just then a phone rings from somewhere in the house and Cuddy pries herself away from the crib. "Just a second." She rushes off to answer the call, leaving House alone in the nursery. Her flustered voice carries through the house and he catches the words, "Cameron" and "benefactor" mentioned several times. He smirks. Cameron never had the balls to do Cuddy's job.

He's about to head out of the nursery in order to continue his task of annoying Cuddy when she reappears looking slightly panicked. He knew what that look meant: her baby was in trouble. And by baby he meant the hospital.

"That was Cameron." she says, shifting her weight from leg to leg restlessly. "There's been some sort of issue and a patient's family wants to speak to me."

He squints at her. "It's the middle of the night. What insignificant boo-boo could've possibly occurred that you would need to look at?"

"Yes, well, as you so graciously proved earlier, 'the middle of the night' means absolutely nothing to people these days."

_Touche. _He opens his mouth to retaliate with a witty retort but she turns away and begins running around the house to change into more presentable clothing. Suddenly, he regrets dropping by.

She's back barely a minute later in a completely different outfit with her briefcase clutched to her side. "I need to go to the hospital to sort this out."

"I'll just show myself out then." he nearly cuts her off, knowing what words were about to leave her mouth and he wanted nothing do to with it.

"House." She moves deftly in his way as he attempts to make an escape.

Cringing inwardly, he braces himself for her next sentence.

"It's too late for me to call my babysitter and I can't leave Rachel here by herself." He waits for her to continue even though he already knows where this is leading. "Could you just stay here until I come back?"

And there it is. He curses himself and his god-awful timing.

"I'd only be gone about an hour. Two max." Cuddy hastily adds. "You don't even have to be in the same room. You could just take the baby monitor with you." As if to prove how much less imposing this was, she walks over to a dresser, picks up the device, and holds it up.

He runs through his options. He could stay and subject himself to the kid's unpredictable wrath for two hours. Or he could go home, kick his feet up, grab a beer, and end up with something else eating away at his conscience if something did manage to happen to the kid. Groaning internally, he makes his decision and takes the baby monitor from Cuddy.

"I'm counting down. If you're not back in two hours, Jr.'s gonna have to ride the night out alone."

Smiling with relief, Cuddy steps forward and places a quick kiss on his cheek, taking him by surprise. "Thank you, House." She then whisks out of sight and out the door before he has time to change his mind.

Slightly at a loss, he just stands there for a moment, the light pressure of Cuddy's lips still faintly on his cheek. He then berates himself for acting like such pussy before sneaking a glance at the crib and slinking off to the living room. Upon seeing the 60-inch plasma screen mounted to the wall, he thanks Cuddy for leaving him with one decent thing to keep him occupied. With a heavy sigh, he finds a comfortable position on the couch and proceeds to surf the channels before finally turning to a rerun of an old Spongebob episode. He's barely settled in when a soft mewling noise starts coming from the baby monitor. He frowns disapprovingly at the device as if the baby would somehow get his message. A second later the whimpering stops and he grins in a self-satisfied way only to roll his eyes in exasperation when it starts back up again after several moments of silence.

Five minutes later the baby showed no signs of letting up much to House's annoyance so, grumbling, he gets to his feet and limps for the nursery. Peering over the rails of the crib, he looks down to see a wide-awake Rachel staring back up at him.

"Look, kid." _God, what am I doing? _"Your Uncle House here has a bum leg so how about you just go to sleep so I don't have to keep dragging my invalid self back and forth to check on you."

Rachel blinks at him and House takes this as her response. He turns around to head back to the living room only to hear the cries pick back up again. Sighing, he looks forlornly back at Rachel.

"What do you want from me? A lullaby? 'Cause, I mean, I would but I just don't know any songs that'd be appropriate for a time like this." Did he just slip her some sarcasm? _Great_, he thinks, _like she's anywhere near understanding the concept of sarcasm._

She raises her arms up to him in response. He stares down at her. _You gotta be kidding me_. But then he sees the beginnings of a whimper start to form on Rachel's mouth and quickly scoops her up before any noise comes forth. Holding her out in front of him, the two engage in a staring contest, his bright blue eyes drilling into her wide, green ones. For some reason, she seems completely captivated by him and just continues to stare even as his own eyes start to water. Just then, she lets out a small yawn and he takes this as his cue to quickly, but gently set her back down. But the moment her little feet touch the mattress, a soft whimper escapes her mouth and he lifts her back up to eye level.

He scowls. "So, now what, Princess? I can't just stand here and hold you forever. Have some pity on your cripple of an uncle."

She looks at him, her eyes dancing, and for a second, he swears that she's laughing at him. Her eyes then shift to look past him almost as if she was trying to prove a point. Rolling his eyes at both his situation and his delusions of having telepathic conversations with a two-month old baby, he takes the hint and, after gingerly cradling her against his shoulder, makes for the living room.

Having reached the couch, he carefully lays himself down, Rachel still held softly against him, until he's spread out on his back across the length sofa. He shifts into a more comfortable position, conscious of the ten pound human being resting on his chest. God, she's so tiny he feels like he could break her. When he's finally comfortable, he stops his squirming and glances down at Rachel who was now laying on her stomach across his chest.

"You're lucky I think your mommy's hot." he mumbles to the ceiling.

Two tiny fists clench at his shirt in response. He sighs, his breath lightly ruffling the sprout of dark hair on her head, then places a hand securely on her back. This was going to be a long two hours.

* * *

An hour and a half later, Cuddy walks up the steps to her porch, keys jingling as she fumbles to get them out. She successfully unlocks the door and steps inside, expecting House's whining voice to reach her ears in a moment. But instead, silence greets her.

"House?" she calls out, alarmed.

A flickering light in the other room catches her attention and she half runs to see what it is, clutching her keys like a weapon. But upon reaching the entrance of the living room, her grip relaxes and a soft smile creeps across her lips as she takes in the sight before her.

A clearly exhausted House lay fast asleep on the couch, one arm dangling over the edge of the mattress while the other rested protectively on an equally unconscious Rachel. Soft snores escape from House's slightly open mouth, causing Rachel to vibrate gently with the movements of his chest.

Cuddy lets out a quiet laugh. She knew the two of them would get along just fine. Slipping off her heels so as to not wake the two slumbering figures, she tiptoes over to the remote and turns off the forgotten TV. Briefly, she entertains the idea of taking a quick picture of the two but quickly pushes it away. This was a moment she wanted to keep to herself. She then gently throws a blanket over them and, after taking one last look at her daughter and impromptu babysitter, silently slips out of the room.

* * *

A/N: I know Cameron "quit" Cuddy's job at the end of the episode but I'm assuming that she can't just leave without at least finishing the day. So, what do you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts. :)


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: Hey, guys! I'm back! A few of you mentioned that you wanted me to continue this so I added this chapter to make this a two-shot. This is as far as I'll continue it, though, I'm afraid. School starts back up next week and I have several essays I need to write. So, read and I hope you enjoy! :)

Disclaimer: Once again, as I say at the beginning of all my stories, I don't own this. Well, I own the plot but not the characters.

Chapter 2

He awakes the next morning just as the beginnings of daylight start to filter through the living room curtains. _Way too damn early._ Groaning, he begins to shift positions but freezes as he feels the presence of a warm bundle on his chest. He sneaks a glance downward and sees Rachel's sleeping form spread out across his chest. Clearly, she was not waking up anytime soon. Still sleepy-eyed, he raises his arm to look at his watch and is horrified when an ungodly 6:22 meets his gaze. Settling back into the couch, he decides that he doesn't care that he was still stuck with the little munchkin. He was going back to sleep.

* * *

A gentle stirring on his chest awakens him a few hours later. Reluctantly cracking open an eye, he looks down to see Rachel shifting her little arms and legs restlessly on his torso, her green eyes still tightly closed. Almost instinctively, he holds her firmly to him in order to prevent her from falling off. _You're getting soft, House, _a voice chimes in his head. He rolls his eyes and silently tells the voice to bugger off.

Just then the heavenly smell of brewing coffee reaches his nostrils and he inhales a noseful of the delicious scent. That smell only meant one thing. He groans at the thought but knows it was going to happen one way or another so he slowly brings his legs off the couch and onto the floor while cradling a quickly awakening Rachel to his chest. After a few moments spent rubbing the feeling back into his bad thigh, he hoists himself to his feet and makes for the kitchen.

Inside, Cuddy bustles about, clearly having been awake for some time now. He clears his throat loudly as he enters.

At this, Cuddy turns to face them. "Good morning, House."

"Your little bundle of joy." he says, holding Rachel out in front of him.

A wide smile spreads over Cuddy's face which she directs to the squirming baby in his arms. "Hi, baby. Come here. Were you good for your Uncle House?" Her voice takes on that annoying high pitched sound that seemed to be programmed into all mothers causing House rolls his eyes as Cuddy finally relieves him of Rachel. "There's coffee on the counter." she says, her voice back to normal. "Help yourself. I'm just gonna change her real quick." With that, she heads for the nursery, leaving House alone in the kitchen.

Despite the enticing smell of coffee being elicited by the brewer, he considers making a mad dash for the door. Cuddy was back and the kid was safe. He didn't have any business lingering around any longer than necessary. He gets another whiff of coffee. On the other hand, it was Saturday which meant Wilson was sleeping in which, subsequently, meant that there was no coffee at the apartment. Cursing his weakness for the caffeine-filled mixture, he limps over to the counter and pours himself a mug.

Cuddy reenters the kitchen a few moments later with Rachel cradled against her hip to find House leaning casually against the counter nursing a mug of freshly brewed coffee. He nods civilly at her as she makes her way to the kitchen table and proceeds to strap Rachel into her high chair.

"Thank you, House." she says after securing Rachel's bib around her neck. Glancing over her shoulder, she throws him a small smile. "I really appreciate you staying with her."

He begins to drink his coffee a little faster, hoping to avoid as much of this conversation as possible. But his plan only backfires as the steaming liquid burns his tongue and throat causing him to gag then mutter a train of obscenities. Cuddy looks disapprovingly at him although Rachael seems oblivious to his splutterings. When he finally manages to get himself under control, he opens his mouth to make a clever comment but thinks twice. _She's serious, House_, the voice chimes in again which is starting to sound annoyingly like Wilson. _Don't be such an ass. _Biting back his sarcasm, he simply nods. "Sure."

A few moments pass by in silence. This is the part he hates. He racks his brain for something, anything to say while simultaneously trying to down his coffee in record time. Cuddy, however, doesn't seem to mind the silence between them as she shakes a bottle of formula, her attention focused completely on Rachel. Once again, the thought of making a run for it fleets through his brain but considering the fact that his leg was still stiff from spending all night on a couch, he decides against it.

"You fire Cameron yet?" he asks, keeping his voice casual. He mentally curses himself for resorting to small talk. "She did kill your baby."

Cuddy shoots him a horrified look.

"Your other baby, I mean. Not this one."

Cuddy's face softens as she understands what he's referring to. "She quit."

His eyebrows shoot up into his forehead. That, he did not expect. "Really?"

"Yup."

He swears he hears a sigh behind her answer. "Interesting."

Silence.

"So, you're going back then?"

"Yup."

"And nothing's changed?"

"Nope."

He taps his cane on the ground a few times. "That's a shame. I was just getting started with Cameron."

This earns him a soft chuckle from Cuddy. "You would've murdered her."

"Yes. It's 'how', that's the real kicker."

She laughs again. There's another short pause but it's a little more comfortable than the previous. "Did Rachel give you any trouble?" she asks as wipes some formula from the baby's chin.

He looks at Rachel contemplatively. "Only if you count her throwing up in your Dolce & Gabana purse as trouble."

"I don't have a Dolce purse." she says, smiling.

"Gucci?" he tries again.

"No."

"Prada?"

"Sorry."

"God, woman, don't you own any designer purses?" he exclaims with mock incredulousness.

"I prefer Burberry."

"Oh."

They lapse into another short silence before Cuddy decides to break it. "She doesn't usually do that, you know."

He cocks an eyebrow, confused.

"Sleep on her stomach." Cuddy clarifies, looking at him over her shoulder. "She mainly sleeps on her back."

Ah. "What can I say? I'm just so cuddly." he says with a debonair shrug. Out of habit, he begins twirling his cane with his free hand to which Rachel suddenly lets out a squeal of delight. Just then, he realizes the situation he's in and begins to get nervous. He drops his cane abruptly to the ground, having it assume its normal position at his side.

"Well, I'll just show myself out, then." Setting down his half-empty mug, he limps for the door as fast as his leg will allow him. Behind him, Rachel lets out a whimper but he ignores this.

"House."

This, however, he doesn't ignore and forces himself to turn back around.

Rachel was looking at him, her eyes wide and beseeching.

"She wants you to say goodbye." Cuddy explains quietly.

He stares at her, expecting a "Just kidding!" at any moment but when it doesn't come, he grudgingly lets out a, "Bye."

But Rachel isn't satisfied with his departure and immediately whimpers again, this time a little louder. He catches Cuddy's pointed look and rolls his eyes before limping over to Rachel. Towering over the tiny two-month old, he stares down at her but she seems unfazed but his steady gaze.

Raising a hand, he gently chucks her under her chin. "See ya, kid." He lingers just long enough to see a big grin spread over Rachel's face and a tiny fist reach out for him before glancing quickly at Cuddy and heading for the door.

Yes, he was definitely getting too soft.

* * *

A/N: What do you think? Was it cute enough? XP I really wanted a sort of noncommittal ending so that this story stays somewhat in canon. Basically, House babysitting Rachel doesn't change anything between him and Cuddy since they go back to their usual bickering and bantering in the next episode chronologically, "The Greater Good." Anyway, let me know your thoughts! I love to hear them! :) And Happy New Year!


End file.
